System and Method for Identifying Systems and Replacing Components

• US 20110191863A1
• Filed: 01/29/2010
• Published: 08/04/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Molsberry, Frank, Ganesan, Subramanian, Huber, Gary D., Haze, Michael, Decker, Brian, O'Connor, Clint H., Curtis, William A.
• Granted Patent: US 9,100,396 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/29
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/10 Protecting distributed programs or content, e.g. vending or licensing of copyrighted material protection in video systems or pay television H04N7/16 ; Digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/105 Arrangements for software license management or administration, e.g. for managing licenses at corporate level
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/184 Intellectual property management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0869 Validating the configuration within one network element
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0876 based on the identity of the terminal or configuration, e.g. MAC address, hardware or software configuration or device fingerprint

Abstract

A system, method, and computer-readable medium are disclosed for managing a system'"'"'s entitlement to digital assets when the system'"'"'s components are replaced. A unique system identifier, comprising the unique identifiers of predetermined system components, is associated with digital assets data to generate digital assets entitlement data, which in turn entitles the system to process the digital assets data. The digital assets entitlement is perpetuated when a first unique system component identifier is replaced with a second unique system component identifier.

Claims

1. A system for managing the entitlement of digital assets, comprising:

a storage medium comprising a repository of system identifier data, digital assets data, and digital assets entitlement data; and

a processor, the processor being operable to;

generate a first unique system identifier associated with a target system comprising a first plurality of system components, wherein the first unique system identifier comprises a first set of unique system component identifiers corresponding to the first plurality of system components;

process the first unique system identifier and digital assets identifier data to generate digital assets entitlement data entitling the target system to process digital assets data corresponding to the digital assets identifier data, wherein the first unique system identifier is associated with the digital assets entitlement data; and

perpetuate the entitlement if a first unique system component identifier is changed to a second unique system component identifier.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further operable to generate a request for the target system to respond with a second unique system identifier comprising a second set of system component identifiers corresponding to a second plurality of system components.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein:

a second unique system identifier is generated if a first unique system component identifier is changed to a second unique system component identifier;

the first unique system identifier is disassociated with the digital assets entitlement data; and

the second unique system identifier is associated with the digital assets entitlement data.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the first unique system component identifier is changed to a second unique system component identifier when a first system component is replaced by a second system component, wherein the first and second unique system component identifiers respectively correspond to the first and second system component.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the first unique system component identifier is invalidated when the first system component is replaced by the second system component.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the first unique system identifier further comprises at least one of a time variance value and a system type identifier.

7. A computer-implemented method for managing the entitlement of digital assets, comprising:

a storage medium comprising a repository of system identifier data, comprising;

generating a first unique system identifier associated with a target system comprising a first plurality of system components, wherein the first unique system identifier comprises a first set of unique system component identifiers corresponding to the first plurality of system components;

processing the first unique system identifier and digital assets identifier data to generate digital assets entitlement data entitling the target system to process digital assets data corresponding to the digital assets identifier data, wherein the first unique system identifier is associated with the digital assets entitlement data; and

perpetuating the entitlement if a first unique system component identifier is changed to a second unique system component identifier.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the processor is further operable to generate a request for the target system to respond with a second unique system identifier comprising a second set of system component identifiers corresponding to a second plurality of system components.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein:

a second unique system identifier is generated if a first unique system component identifier is changed to a second unique system component identifier;

the first unique system identifier is disassociated with the digital assets entitlement data; and

the second unique system identifier is associated with the digital assets entitlement data.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the first unique system component identifier is changed to a second unique system component identifier when a first system component is replaced by a second system component, wherein the first and second unique system component identifiers respectively correspond to the first and second system component.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the first unique system component identifier is invalidated when the first system component is replaced by the second system component.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein the first unique system identifier further comprises at least one of a time variance value and a system type identifier.

13. A computer-usable medium embodying computer program code, the computer program code comprising computer executable instructions configured for:

using a storage medium comprising a repository of system identifier data, digital assets data, and digital assets entitlement data; and

using processing logic to;

generate a first unique system identifier associated with a target system comprising a first plurality of system components, wherein the first unique system identifier comprises a first set of unique system component identifiers corresponding to the first plurality of system components;

process the first unique system identifier and digital assets identifier data to generate digital assets entitlement data entitling the target system to process digital assets data corresponding to the digital assets identifier data, wherein the first unique system identifier is associated with the digital assets entitlement data; and

perpetuate the entitlement if a first unique system component identifier is changed to a second unique system component identifier.

14. The computer usable medium of claim 13, wherein the processor is further operable to generate a request for the target system to respond with a second unique system identifier comprising a second set of system component identifiers corresponding to a second plurality of system components.

15. The computer usable medium of claim 14, wherein:

a second unique system identifier is generated if a first unique system component identifier is changed to a second unique system component identifier;

the first unique system identifier is disassociated with the digital assets entitlement data; and

the second unique system identifier is associated with the digital assets entitlement data.

16. The computer usable medium of claim 14, wherein the first unique system component identifier is changed to a second unique system component identifier when a first system component is replaced by a second system component, wherein the first and second unique system component identifiers respectively correspond to the first and second system component.

17. The computer usable medium of claim 16, wherein the first unique system component identifier is invalidated when the first system component is replaced by the second system component.

18. The computer usable medium of claim 13, wherein the first unique system identifier further comprises at least one of a time variance value and a system type identifier.